


you don't get to say goodbye

by coupe_de_foudre



Series: you don't get to say goodbye [1]
Category: 1917 (Movie 2019)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Fix-It, Fluff, Light Angst, M/M, Post-Canon, Reunited and It Feels So Good, idk guys i just had to write this, no beta we die like men
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-08
Updated: 2020-02-08
Packaged: 2021-02-28 05:08:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,683
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22618387
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/coupe_de_foudre/pseuds/coupe_de_foudre
Summary: “You should know it’s never locked-” Tom freezes when his eyes land on the person stood on the doorstep.“Fuck...” a voice says and it sends Tom stumbling forwards, colliding into the body in front of him.
Relationships: Tom Blake/William Schofield
Series: you don't get to say goodbye [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1636306
Comments: 16
Kudos: 234





	you don't get to say goodbye

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by the idea that Tom survives and Will doesn't know at first, in [Head First and Fearless](https://archiveofourown.org/works/22367635) by [barricadebutts](https://archiveofourown.org/users/barricadebutts/pseuds/barricadebutts). It's amazing and I totally recommend it if you haven't already read it!
> 
> Anyways, enjoy this attempt at writing xD

Tom survives his wound, despite contrary belief. He spends most of his recovery time in a hospital in England, going through physiotherapy and countless check-ups every day. It takes a long while to get back on his feet properly and, with nothing better to do, Tom finds himself replaying the dreaded day of his injury again and again. It’s basically his own personal torture.

_He’d told Schofield to go. Repeated his brother's description, told Scho he had to go if they were to complete the mission on time. He’d be fine, he’d promised, even as his face had scrunched up in pain and he’d clutched just that bit tighter to Scho's hand._

_Schofield had eventually relented, after quite some encouraging. With a sense of finality, Scho had leant down to press a lingering kiss to Blake's forehead and brushed away the sweaty mess of his hair. He’d smiled, albeit weakly, and told Blake not to wait up._

_He never returned._

_It wasn’t until he'd reached the nearby aid post, thanks to a couple medics that had come to check out the plane crash, that Blake had realised he may never see Schofield again. In the middle of war, people came and left quicker than the sun and moon. He had to spend a couple days at the aid post before being finally shipped overseas – back home. In his time there, he remembers hearing whispered rumours about Colonel Mackenzie calling off a large attack, and he'd smiled as he’d drifted back into a dreamless sleep._

His mother must have been informed of his new location because she arrives at the hospital to take him home just in time for his discharge. He can just about walk unaided now, but the doctor looking after his recovery decided to give him a cane for extra support with his balance. Tom didn’t want to argue. Besides, the cane was pretty helpful at times. 

Along with his hospital release, Tom is discharged from services under the grounds that he’s in no way fit to return to the front lines. It’s a bittersweet moment. On the one hand, it’s a huge relief to know that as he goes home now he won’t be leaving again shortly. On the other, he's going to miss it all. Whilst unpleasant for the most part, Tom found that he quite enjoyed army life; perhaps it was that he finally felt like he fitted in somewhere. Felt that he belonged somewhere.

After being home for 3 months, Tom is glad to find out that his brother is due home on leave. It’s only a short while, but Tom's missed him and he can tell that his mum clearly has too. Therefore, when there's a loud knock on the front door, Tom is confident in the knowledge that it must be Joe.

His mother is round the back, tending to the plants in the garden, so he heaves himself up from the couch and grabs his cane as he steps towards the door. He yanks it open, rolling his eyes. “You should know it’s never locked-” Tom freezes when his eyes land on the person stood on the doorstep, angular face similar to his brother’s but above that is blond hair so unmistakably not him. “Joe.” he finishes, purely for lack of better words to say.

“Fuck...” a deep voice, smooth like honey, says and it sends Tom stumbling forwards, colliding into the body in front of him. Arms reach out, ready to catch him, and Tom hears his cane clatter to the ground as he reaches up to clutch at Scho's shoulders, inhaling that familiar sandalwood scent and choking back a sob. “I thought...I thought you were-” the sentence isn’t finished but Tom understands, shaking his head as he presses his face into Scho's chest. He suddenly feels guilty for not attempting to contact the other.

The guilt doesn’t have long to fester though, because Tom is being pushed against the closest wall without warning. Hands press at either side of his head, caging him in, and Tom watches as blue eyes darken before him. It sends butterflies to his stomach. Next thing he knows, they’re kissing. Only, it’s nothing like those sweet and loving reunion kisses you hear about. No, this is rough and needy and _God does Tom want more!_

His hands travel up from Will's shoulders, inching into blond curls that have grown longer from when Tom last saw them; they’d been cut short and straight back in the trenches, unable to properly flourish. Tom loved how they twisted around his fingers, moulding to him as though his hand belonged there. Tugging at them, he smiles into the kiss as it elicits a muffled moan from Will's throat. 

When they part (more out of the need for oxygen than choice) a trail of saliva connects their lips. Really, it should be gross, but instead finds that it makes him want to join their lips again. Will is smiling sheepishly down at him, he realises as he tilts his head. Shifting to adjust his body into a more comfortable position, Tom winces when he accidently pulls his side a bit too much, causing a sharp pain to flare up inside him. It’s alright, though. This happens. It’s nothing he’s not used to. 

Will doesn’t know this, however. Hands instantly twisting to cup Tom's face, his smile morphs into a worried from. “Sorry, Tom.” Will mutters in his ear, “Could’ve been a bit more gentle, I s'pect.”

This only causes Tom to laugh, mind still reeling from the kiss. That’s not to say that he doesn’t notice how Will's voice had softened as he'd said his name. 

“Y'know better than anyone that I've had worse.” Tom teases, his tone intentionally suggesting things that manage to get Will to flush an embarrassed red, even if only temporary.

Suddenly, Will is crying, laughing between broken sobs as he nestles his face into the crook of Tom’s neck. Tom would be concerned, thinking he'd said or done something wrong, had he not also still felt on the verge of a breakdown. Feeling the tears dropping onto his skin, Tom pulls Will's body closer to his (ignoring the burning pain the added pressure brings) and strokes his hand through the other's hair. Turning his head, he brushes a gentle kiss to a spot above Will's ear, making soothing noises to shush the man. 

Tom allows Will to take his time composing himself, and when he hears the wrecked sobs cease to exhausted sniffles he decides to speak up. “How did you know where to find me?” he asks, the question having been on his mind from the second he laid eyes on Will.

Will, not bothering to pull back but instead turn so that his ear rests over Tom's beating heart, began to explain as much as he could to him. “Well, I made it to the Second Devons just after the first wave of men went over. I guess the concussion slowed me down, sorry, but you’re brother was fine. After I told him about your death-”

“Wait, you told my brother that I was _dead_?” 

“Really not the point here, love.” Will groaned but the hints of a smirk could be seen on his face. Tom would've retorted with something equally dismissive had he not been stunned into silence from the term of endearment. 

“Anyway, as I was saying, Joe must’ve gotten a letter from your mother mentioning how you were recovering well at home because I received one from him saying vaguely that. I’m not sure what he thinks but he must know we're close because he added your address.” 

It takes a moment for it to sink in, and Tom should probably be concerned about his brother's possible thoughts but he doesn’t have the energy. He’s so overwhelmed right now; having Will in his arms once again after all this time seems almost surreal. 

“I just can’t believe you’re _here_.”

There’s a pause, a drawn out silence between them, before Will answers. “What, you really think I was just gonna forget about you?” The question is clearly only half a joke.

Tom doesn’t answer, but that in itself is a brutally honest confirmation. His eyes drop to the floor. Will leans back to put some space between them. Fingers hook under Tom's chin and his face is being lifted up, forcing him to meet Will's eyes.

“You don’t get to say goodbye.” Will whispers, his voice washing over Tom like a warm embrace. Looking into his eyes, it’s clear that all of his defences are down in this moment. The words are a complete echo of the very words he'd uttered as he'd held a bleeding out Tom in his arms, tears staining his cheeks then just as they did now. 

“I’m sorry,” Tom breaks. It’s all too much. “I’m sorry, sorry, sorry...” His voice cracks as he repeats himself, only now allowing the full intent of those words to sink in. He’d thought that all they'd had, all those moments and memories, might have just been some fling shared between two lonely, lost soldiers. One look at Will's face, however, erased those beliefs quicker than they’d even showed up. He’d been so stupid, thinking all this time that he wasn’t good enough for Will. Adamant that Will deserved better, deserved someone that wasn’t young and naive and unable to give him a proper family. 

Unsurprisingly, Will seems to be able to read his mind because he puts an end to Tom’s worries with a simple kiss that has him chasing after Will's lips when they separate. A hand comes to stroke his face, thumb brushing away stray tears running down his cheek, and Tom melts into the soft touch. Will sends him a smile, a _real_ smile that's warm and shy and _oh so Will_. It has Tom's chest aching with a feeling he's not used to.

Leaning closer to nudge their noses together, Will eradicates Tom's previous fears once and for all. “You're all the family I could ever need.”

**Author's Note:**

> Also inspired by [this edit](https://www.instagram.com/p/B8MsOnGhalO/?igshid=1qwpgjetps2ok) on Instagram bc I adore it and listened to the song almost continuously as I wrote this.
> 
> Tysm for the comments and kudos on my last fic of these two!! Y'all are so lovely <3


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